Vehicular homicide becomes law in Senate confidence vote

(ANSA) - Rome, March 2 - The Senate on Wednesday passed a government vehicular-homicide bill on a confidence vote with 149 in favor, three against and 15 abstaining.

It sets prison terms of 2-7 years for drivers who wrongfully kill one person, and up to 18 years if there are multiple victims. The term for killing one person while drunk is 12 years. Licenses can be confiscated for a term ranging from five to 30 years.

Reform Minister Maria Elena Boschi said earlier she was "proud" to put the bill to a confidence vote.

The bill won a first confidence vote in the Senate in December. There has been disagreement between the senior government partner, the Democratic Party (PD), and its junior partner the New Centre Right (NCD), over the alleged harshness of the terms. This has led to confidence votes to break the deadlock.

"For Lorenzo, for Gabriele, for the road victims. For their families. Vehicular homicide is law #finally", Premier Matteo Renzi tweeted. "It's been tough (but) this law has become a reality," he said.